Ecological Risk Screening Summary - Wild Taro (Colocasia esculenta) - High Risk

Species that are considered high risk have a well-documented history of invasiveness in at least one location globally, and a high or medium climate match to the contiguous United States.

Colocasia esculenta, Wild Taro, is a plant that is native to Southeast Asia, but has been introduced and naturalized in many areas of the world due to its importance as a staple crop. This species inhabits moist soils, flooded areas, and riparian riparian
Definition of riparian habitat or riparian areas.

Learn more about riparian habitats in tropical and subtropical climates worldwide. It is an economically and culturally significant crop in many cultures, but it readily escapes cultivation, leading to its cosmopolitan distribution. C. esculenta is widely established in the Southeastern United States, where it forms dense monospecific stands which outcompete native plant communities. It propagates vegetatively and has no native predators in the United States due to the toxic levels of calcium oxalate in the plant. The History of Invasiveness for Colocasia esculenta is classified as High due to its well-documented establishment outside of its native range and multiple documented impacts of its introduction. The climate matching analysis for the contiguous United States indicated establishment concern for this species. Areas of high match were found in the southeast and southwest. Much of the contiguous United States had a medium match. The Certainty of Assessment is classified as High. The Overall Risk Assessment Category for Colocasia esculenta in the contiguous United States is High.